How to do an oil change in a Lawnboy? Help!

[shadow7]

Hi, I have never done an oil change in a lawn mower. I have some questions.

1) I should tip the mower dipstick side down to drain the oil? Correct?
2) I wasn't able to find the owner's manual, but I was able to get the specifications from lawnboy.com. Is 20 oz the oil capacity? So that's a little more than half quart?
3)It states 30w, but I have seen 4 cycle engine oil. Since this mower has a 4 cycle engine, should I use 30w or 4 cycle engine oil?

Thanks, feel free to give some tips or warnings.


Specification Group Specification Name Specification Value
Engine Engine Speed 3000±150 RPM
Engine Ignition Coil Air Gap .012" / .3mm
Engine Spark Plug Champion RJ19LM
Engine Spark Plug Gap .030"/ .76mm
Drive System Gearbox Lubricant 1.5 oz. (43gm) #2 Lithium grease
Drive System Ground Speed 0-3 mph
Engine Engine Oil Type 20 oz. (.6l) 30w / API SH or higher
Chassis Height of Cut Range 1" - 4"

 

[01rangerxl]

Yes, you can just tip it over and drain from the dipstick tube. 30w oil will be fine, it's for four cycle engines too. Just check the level against the dipstick since it might vary some from the manual.

 

[bretfraz]

What brand and model of engine?

I'm sure you can find an engine owners manual online.

Anyway, I'll bet $10 there is a drain plug underneath. It might look square for a 3/8" socket extension will fit.

Any good 30W will do. Use whatever brand turns you on. Personally, I run Shell Rotella synth 5W-40 in my mower.

They sell oil in 20 oz bottles that works fine and you don't have to measure it out.

 

[JR]

dont forget start it up and run it with like fifteen minute of gas in til it run out that way the oil picks everything up and it flows better to aid in the drain process. I tip mine over into contaner hint run the gas dry so it aint triping all over warm engine me/you and the driveway.

kc

p.s.
30wt will be one of the good chooses. i use what ever is setting around. what i dont like to see is my dad has a briggs that has a factory filer with rustasion on it and factory oil, its like 6+yrs old.

 

[yeehaw1960]

That's the nice thing about the Tecumseh's (except for the Vector...hissss). You can tip it on it's side (muffler up) for a week and it will start right up when you put it back on it's wheels. You get about thirty seconds to a minute if you tip it over with the muffler down. Then you have an oily mess.

 

[Scotty1981]

I need to change the oil in my Briggs and Stratton as well it has a honda OHC engine I believe is the procedure the same ? I'll have to see if I can dig up the owners manual.

 

[tommygunn]

Usually on the bottom of any mower there's a drain plug (under the deck, around the blade). Pop it out, let it drain, reinstall the plug, refill with oil.

30 weight oil, just over a half a quart. Lawn Boy used to be all two-stroke engines (which need 2-stroke oil mixed with gas) and this procedure didn't apply.

Pretty much anything else beyond a 2-stroke is a 4 stroke engine. 30 weight automotive oil is 4-stroke, as is alot of other oils. Anything 30 weight should work (30wt, 5w-30, 10w-30, etc) so feel free to use whatever, a decent automotive oil would be a really smart idea, and is often cheaper then really [censored] "lawnmower oil" you find at a store anyhow.

I'd get a decent oil though; cheap 5w-30's seem to shear easily in hot lawnmowers, so it burns oil faster and the main problem is nobody ever checks the oil...until the engine is ruined. My last oil change in a lawnmower was with some high mileage 10w-30 stuff I had kicking around, was about $3 on sale, works great.

Edit: Warnings? Expect the potential for smoke on startup, like these guys said, tipping a mower over makes oil seep all over the place into the engine and into valve covers and such it seems. Also make sure you don't overfill it, it'll smoke like you wouldn't believe, and obviously keep an eye on the oil level after a couple of runs. It might burn a little and its something to watch out for.

 

[bullwinkle]

You want a straight 30, preferably an HDEO. I cut the grass, then take the drain plug out from below the deck and set the whole thing right on the drain pan for a half hour or so. Put the plug back in and refill. I've done the dipstick drain, but it always makes a big mess, and there's crud in the bottom of the crankcase that comes out better thru the drain.

 

[Scotty1981]

What is an HDEO?

Would Mobile 1 5W-30/10W-30 be ok? I'd like to use a synthetic because sometimes I forget to change it, I've actually forgotten to change it last year and it still has the factory fill in it.

 

[Eddie]

I'm with bullwinkle. If there is a drain plug and there usually is, drain the oil that way. I also use a big drain pan.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Yes, you can just tip it over and drain from the dipstick tube. 30w oil will be fine, it's for four cycle engines too. Just check the level against the dipstick since it might vary some from the manual.


This is the most convenient way to do it. I spent years draining from the plug on the bottom until I tried tipping it over. Saves time and a huge mess..

 

[henni]

some folks use a mityvac but my preference is a small fuel pump (available cheaply from any parts store) and I connect it via alligator clips to a spare battery, connect suction and drain hose and empty the used oil in a few seconds.

works on power steering, transmission, brake fluid, small machines, etc etc

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Yes, you can just tip it over and drain from the dipstick tube. 30w oil will be fine, it's for four cycle engines too. Just check the level against the dipstick since it might vary some from the manual.


This is the most convenient way to do it. Saves time and a huge mess..
+1

 

[2004tdigls]

http://www.ehow.com/video_2328952_change-oil-lawnmower.html

any diesel rated 10w30 is fine, i use this in my mower,

http://www.shell.com/home/content/rotella/products/t3/

 

[Hokiefyd]

I always recommend against using drain plugs. Some engines (like the Hondas) don't have them anyway, so owners spend time looking for something that's not there. On the engines that do have them, half the time they're seized in there and will sometimes pull threads when you try to get them out.

Tipping the mower and draining out the dipstick tube is by far the easiest and cleanest method to draining the engine oil. You don't need any tools, don't need to lift the mower on anything, and you're guaranteed to not strip anything to create a leak where there isn't one.

That Tecumseh engine will run on anything. A good 10W-30 will be great in it.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I have an MTD 22" mulching mower with a 5.5 hp Briggs. The first thing I do is remove the spark plug wire, then I set my mower up across the tops of two regular size plastic garbage cans. I set a regular old round oil drain pan on the ground between the cans, remove the 3/8" square drive drain plug and drain the old oil into the pan. This method might be a little more work than some others, but this is how I do it and it works for me. I use Super Tech 30 weight in my mower, change it once every season and check the level/top off before I cut the grass. This will be the 8th summer I have used my old mower, and it always starts on the first pull, even after it sits unused during the winter. I have yet to strip the drain plug or have any other problems with this mower.

 

[threeputtpar]

I have that exact LawnBoy, and I tried to find the drain plug to no avail. It does not have one, so I just turned it on its side to drain out of the fill tube. Just be careful not to melt your drain pan when it hits the side of the block.

The manual says the capacity is 20oz, but that is the dry capacity. Refill is usually between 16 and 18oz. I second the 10W-30 HDEO, only because I run mine in the late fall to pick up leaves and the temp is around 40 degrees.

 

[Bandito440]

My Craftsman (MTD) push mower has a B&S engine. There is no drain plug and the manual specifies that you tip it to drain the oil from the dipstick while at operating temperature.

It calls for B&S SAE30 or 10w-30 oil. I used some Rotella T6 5w-40 just because I didnt have any of the aforementioned oils on hand. I'm sure it'll be fine.

You'll be fine with Mobil 1 10w-30. That's a fine choice, although you might see some added protection from a HDEO (heavy duty engine oil) 10w-30. Rotella is a good choice. Most auto stores have it. Wal Mart does too, but I'm not sure about 10w-30.

 

[Errtt]

I did my Honda HRX recently and didn't see a drain plug.
Ran it a bit to warm it up, tilted it and used a suction pump with a small diameter hose through the oil fill/dip stick hole. Tilted it different angles and worked the hose around a little till I could get no more.
Went with Rotella 5w-40 this year (used it 2 oil changes ago too).
So far I have used:
Honda oil it came with when new
Rotella 15w-40 dino
Rotella 5w-40 synthetic
Amsoil 20w-50 synthetic
Now back to the Rotella 5w-40
The oil I use all depends on what I may have already open, what's left from motorcycle oil changes etc. I have had no issue with oil consumption - never yet add oil through a season of use.

 

[2004tdigls]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
My Craftsman (MTD) push mower has a B&S engine. There is no drain plug and the manual specifies that you tip it to drain the oil from the dipstick while at operating temperature.

It calls for B&S SAE30 or 10w-30 oil. I used some Rotella T6 5w-40 just because I didnt have any of the aforementioned oils on hand. I'm sure it'll be fine.

You'll be fine with Mobil 1 10w-30. That's a fine choice, although you might see some added protection from a HDEO (heavy duty engine oil) 10w-30. Rotella is a good choice. Most auto stores have it. Wal Mart does too, but I'm not sure about 10w-30.


http://www.briggsandstratton.com/support...20Change%20Oil/